Irish Times Notes05 Nov 16

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

Second Church Census

The Church of Ireland will undertake its second census of its worshipping population in November. On each Sunday of the month, clergy and parish officials will provide worshippers with a card on which they will be asked to indicate, anonymously, their gender and age.  This information will allow the Church to ascertain the age  and gender profiles of those attending Church of Ireland services throughout Ireland. The objective of the census is to enable parishes, dioceses, and the Church to make decisions for the future based on an up–to–date analysis of the Church of Ireland’s population. The census allows parishes and dioceses to collect their own more detailed figures if they wish.

The first census, carried out in 2013, provided useful insights into trends in worship attendance and ministry, revealing that the average attendance figure over three Sundays was 58,000 people, or 15.5% of the Church of Ireland population, as defined by the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland census results of 2011.

It is anticipated that another census will be held in 2021, to coincide with national censuses taking place in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Today (Saturday) in St Columba’s Parish Centre, Omagh, the Council for Mission will hold the first of two one–day conferences to raise awareness of overseas mission, The speaker at both conferences will be the Revd Dr Mark Welsh from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the event will be facilitated by the Bishop of Derry. The second conference will be on Saturday 12 November in the Charleville Centre, Tullamore, where the facilitator will be the Bishop of Limerick. This evening at 8pm (Saturday) All Saints’ Church, Blackrock, will present a Musical Evening with Matthew Breen, organist of St. Patrick’s Church, Dalkey. Tickets at €10.00 are available from Michael Orr (086–6017313) and Di Weldon (01–2802340) Proceeds in aid of Blackrock Hospice and the Church Maintenance Fund.

The Camino de Glendalough will take place tomorrow (Sunday) begining at both ends of St Kevin’s Way with services taking place simultaneously in St Kevin’s church, Hollywood, and St John’s, Laragh, at 9.30am. Following the service in Hollywood, pilgrims will have the choice of making the 30km journey by foot, bicycle or car. A booklet will be provided to aid the journey. Walkers should expect to take at least six hours to complete this route. Those attending St John’s, Laragh, will be provided with a booklet outlining walks around the Monastic City and along the Green Road. There will also be an opportunity to take a shorter walk along St Kevin’s Way from the Wicklow Gap to Glendalough. This is approximately 12km and will take approximately two hours to complete. A bus will be provided to take walkers to Wicklow Gap. St John’s, Laragh, will act as an information base on the day. Weather permitting, the day will conclude with a gathering at the Upper Lake in Glendalough for a service of praise and thanksgiving at 3.30pm. A booklet has been produced to accompany the Camino de Glendalough. It can be downloaded at: http://dublin.anglican.org/Come-and-C

On Monday evening St Willibrod’s Day will be celebrated in St Lasarian’s cathedral, Old Leighlin, with a service of Vespers at 7pm.

The Dublin & Glendalough Retired Clergy will meet in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute on Tuesday where the speaker will be the Director of CITI, the Revd Dr Maurice Elliott.

The lunchtime recital in St Mary’s cathedral, Limerick, on Wednesday will be a piano duet by Aldo de Vero and Giuseppe Campris.